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I find it hard to believe, but the right wing appears to be flipping out over Obama saying that 'empathy' is a desirable quality in a justice. Apparently the very-human ability to place yourself in another's shoes and understand how they might feel implies wishy-washy, non-law-based decision making.
There are a number of bizarre aspects to this spat -- they equate empathy with bias, assuming that a judge will always only 'feel' for one side of the case; they idealise a very clear-cut, cold application of existing law that simply doesn't work in a human society where we invent new issues constantly -- but what I really get a kick out of is that they're packaging up all this subtext to attack empathy.
Empathy allows us to be successful social animals. Empathy is the true root of morality -- I don't hurt you, not just because it isn't in my best interest, but because I can feel your pain. I'm always amazed at the religious who say that I must be immmoral because I'm an atheist, because it is so clearly untrue, but also because the foundation of morality is something we all have to some degree, whatever one's religion or lack thereof.
I undestand, now. The right wing is attacking the concept of empathy. For people so lacking in and distrustful of a basic human trait, a totally external source of morality is nessecary. Keep your religion, kids; I'm terrified of what you'd do without it.
There are a number of bizarre aspects to this spat -- they equate empathy with bias, assuming that a judge will always only 'feel' for one side of the case; they idealise a very clear-cut, cold application of existing law that simply doesn't work in a human society where we invent new issues constantly -- but what I really get a kick out of is that they're packaging up all this subtext to attack empathy.
Empathy allows us to be successful social animals. Empathy is the true root of morality -- I don't hurt you, not just because it isn't in my best interest, but because I can feel your pain. I'm always amazed at the religious who say that I must be immmoral because I'm an atheist, because it is so clearly untrue, but also because the foundation of morality is something we all have to some degree, whatever one's religion or lack thereof.
I undestand, now. The right wing is attacking the concept of empathy. For people so lacking in and distrustful of a basic human trait, a totally external source of morality is nessecary. Keep your religion, kids; I'm terrified of what you'd do without it.
